IOC Strips U.S. Relay Team of London Medals

(ATR) The doping case against Tyson Gay is costing his teammates their medals.

The U.S. men’s 4x100 relay team was stripped of its London 2012 silver medals by the IOC on Wednesday. The United States Olympic Committee was notified by letter on Tuesday and was asked to collect the medals to return them to the IOC.

In a statement, the USOC appeared unfazed by the decision.

"As expected, following USADA’s decision in the Tyson Gay case, the IOC today confirmed that the U.S. team has been disqualified from the 4x100-meter race that was part of the athletics competition at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

"We will begin efforts to have the medals returned and support all measures to protect clean athletes."

Gay returned his medal last year after accepting a one-year suspension from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. He would have received a two-year ban had he not cooperated with an investigation into his former coach Jon Drummond.

Drummond received an eight-year ban for his role in the doping scandal. Drummond coached the U.S. relay team in London. According to the USADA decision, Gay took a banned substance with Drummond’s knowledge.

Runners now losing their medals include Trell Kimmons, Justin Gatlin and Ryan Bailey, who ran the final with Gay, as well as Jeffery Demps and Darvis Patton.

The IAAF had already ruled that the entire U.S. team should be disqualified from the race, though the final decision was left up to the IOC.

It is not known whether the medals will be reallocated. If so, the silver would go to Trinidad and Tobago and the bronze to France.

Written by Nick Devlin

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